Discoveries from around the archipelago
Back in the winter, I did a post on some artistic ema I had stumbled across in my travels. Ema are prayer plaques found at shrines and worshipers write prayers and wishes on them before hanging them up on a board near the shrine's main hall. Since those initial finds, I've kept my eyes open and found... Continue Reading →
Japan's cities hold endless fascination for me, but step out of the urban sprawl and you'll find a country chock full of natural wonders. Here are some of my favorite waterfalls in Japan, a few that aren't too far off the beaten track: 1. Nabegataki Falls - It's worth venturing into the Kumamoto countryside to... Continue Reading →
In a similar vein to manhole covers, I've spent the past few years collecting pictures of ema. Ema are prayer plaques, found at nearly every shrine in the country (yes, I really DO need to get a hobby!). For a small fee, visitors can write their hopes, dreams, wishes or prayers on them and leave them... Continue Reading →
A friend inspired me to give flavored Kit Kats as Christmas gifts this year, an idea that went down very well with our family members! I hadn't really gone "on the hunt" for Kit Kats beyond the few flavors I found at Tokyo station last year so it was a bit of a frantic search... Continue Reading →
A few days ago, I shared the first five of my ten favorite photos from my travels in Japan this year. Here are the rest, in no particular order: 1. Spider lilies in Saitama I'd seen photos of the spider lilies in Kinchakuda Park in Saitama (outside Tokyo) earlier this year and put it on... Continue Reading →
Since I moved to Japan five and a half years ago, I've been keeping all of my pictures of this country in a folder on my desktop computer. Commingled as they are, it's hard to know exactly how many pictures I took in this year alone (those of you out there who are MUCH savvier... Continue Reading →
Somehow in the past few months, I've "recaught" the hiking bug. I used to be a pretty avid enjoyer of the outdoors. I spent my post-college weekends exploring the trails of the greater DC area with a local hiking club, and I tested out my rain gear on a few hiking vacations in Europe. (For... Continue Reading →
October is here and the humidity is finally disappearing down here in Kyushu. Autumn is upon us, my absolute favorite season anywhere in the world but especially here in Japan. Growing up on the eastern seaboard of the United States, I once thought that New England had the monopoly on stunning fall foliage but my... Continue Reading →
I'm a big proponent of learning by doing and there is no better city in Japan in which to try your hand at a traditional craft than Kyoto. As the epicenter of dozens of traditional craft industries, you'll find no shortage of artisans to guide you through making your own souvenir, whether it be a... Continue Reading →
